Sheet-separator



No. 609,968. Patented Aug. 30, |898. E. LARSON.

SHEET SEPARATDB.

(Application led Dec. 3, 1897.)

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(No Model.)

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fe We No. 609,968. Patented Aug. 30, |898. E LABSN SHEET SEPABATUR.

(Application led Dec. 3, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Shef 2.

(No Model.)

(No Model.)

E. LAWSON.v

SHEET SEPARATOR.

(Application filed Dec. 3, 1897.)

Patented Aug. 30, i898.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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2777757 farsa?? y SH EET-s EPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,968, dated August30, 1898. v

Application filed Ileoem'bei` 3, 1397. Serial No. 660,629. (No model.)

.T0 all whom t 11m/y concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL LARsON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in

the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have" invented a new anduseful Improvement inr Sheet-Separators, of which the following is aspeciiication. A

My invention relates tol an improved attachment for sheet-feeders whichfeed sheetsof paper or the like toprinting, ruling, or folding machines,the attachment operating as a sheet-separator to hold all but the topsheet of a pack, and thus prevent more than one sheet at a time frombeing removed from the pack by the feeding mechanism.

My object is to provide sheet-separating mechanism to be employed as anattachment to sheet-feeding devices of any style and which shall be ofsimple and durable construction and particularly effective in itsoperation.

In the drawings, Figure l is a broken top plan view of my improvedsheet-separating device mounted adjacent to the feed-table of asheet-feeder; Fig. 2, a sectional side elevation of the device and endportion of the feedtable, the section being taken on line 2 of Fig. l;Fig. 3, a broken plan section taken on line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, asectional detail view of presserfinger mechanism forming part oftheconstruction; Fig. 5, abroken view showing a pack of sheets to be fedone at a `cam-surface s2, provided at one end with a cam projection s3,and an inner cam-surface e4 beyond the cam-surface s2. The cam de- `viceC3 is rigidly but adjustably secured to the shaft C by means ofaset-screw S5. Loosely surroundingthe rock-shaft C in the yokepieces C C2are sleeves E E. On each yokepiece is a backward-extending arm t',having a threaded opening through it to receive an adjusting-screw t2,and on each sleeve E E' is a backward-extending arm q in position to beengaged by the end of the adjusting-screw. Also, on each sleeve is adownward-extending arm Q', to which is connected one end of a coiledspring p, which at its opposite ends connects with a tensioning-screwp', working in a bracket B2 on the table Bin the position shown. On eachof the screws p', as shown, isa tensioning-nut p2. Each o f the sleevesE E is provided with an outer lug q2 and an intime and illustrating astage in the operaner lug g3, forming bearings for horizontal tion of myimproved separating mechanism; pins g4 q". s

Fig. G, an enlarged broken perspective view of a separating-fingerdetail of the construction, and Figs. 7 and 8 broken and brokensectionaldetail views of parts of the separator mechanism.

A is the table or platform of a sheet-feedingmachineordevice.Thisfeeding-machine may be of any suitable construction and re quires noillustration in the present connection. It will suffice to say that thetable A rises intermittingly a distance approximating the thickness ofone of the sheets X to be fed when the friction-rollers or othersheet-engaging means employed remove a sheet from the pack.

B is a table or support upon which are mounted toward opposite sidessimilar standards B', of which only one is shown in Fig. 2.

F F are presser devices, each comprising a `bell-crank lever havingthe"-downwardex tending arm n, backward horizontally-disposed arm n',and plate or frame n2, secured, as by means of screws n3, to the arm n',as shown in Fig. 2. Each frame n2 consists of a thin flat plate of moreor less springy metal, having the segmental cross-pieces n4 n.5, with asegmental recess n between them, and the toe or projection nl. Connected,with the lower ends of the arms n are coiled springs ns, connected attheir oppositeends to adjacent screws a9, working in the brackets B2 andprovided with tensioning-nuts n10, as shown. The sleeves E E areprovided with downwardextending arms g5, forming stops, against whichthe arms 'n of the presser devices are caused normally to bear by thesprings a8.

IOO

It is to be understood that when the parts are in the position shown inthe figures the rockshaft C is turned to the limit of its movement inthe direction from left to right, which has caused the set-screws t2,carried by the yokes, to impinge against and bear down upon the arms qof the sleeves, turning the latter to press the stops Q5 against* thearms n and lift the presser devices F F against the resistance of thesprings as to raise the presser devices from the surface of the pack X,as illustrated in Fig. 2.

On eachsleeve E E is a pair of lugs QG, one above the other, formingbearings for vertically-disposed pins Q7.

G G' are buckling devices, each in the form of a bell-crank lever,having a short arm m and a long arm m. Journaled on the short arm m ofthe buckler G is a roller m2, projecting into the adjacent cam-recess s,and on the arm m of the buckler G is a roller m2, projecting into thecam-recess s. The bucklers are pivoted to the pins Q7 to swing in thehorizontal plane toward and away from each other at their free endportions. On the said free end portions of the bucklers aredownwardextending scraper-blades m3 m4, adapted to straddle thesegmental bars n.5 of the presser devices, whereby the blade m3 moves inthe recess or slot ns and the blade m1 beyond the bar 015.

kH is the separator mechanism. Fastened upon the fixed shaft or rod D inthe positions shown are collars Z Z, held in place by means ofset-screws Z2. On the collar Z is a stop projection Z3. Loose upon theshaft D is a sleeve 7a, provided in its end adjacent to the collar Zwith an elongated recess 7c', into which the stop Z1"v projects.Surrounding the shaft and connected at opposite ends, respectively, withthe collar Z and sleeve 7a is a spring 7a2, which tends normally topress the sleeve at one end of its recess 7e against the stop Z3.Fastened against the under side of the sleeve to form a substantiallyintegral part thereof is a downward-extending rod 7c3, provided at itslower end with a head or block 7a4. Pivoted at one end to the block 7.31is a rod or stem 7:55, provided at its free end with a head k6, (seeFig. 6,) from which extend a pointed separating finger or prong 797 anda prong or strip 7.58, preferably of thin springy metal to be yielding.The strip 7.98 is above and longer than the finger 7d, and they areseparated by a space or recess 79, which Ain practice is, say, aboutone-sixteenth of an inch in height. On the rod 7a3 is a collar 7010, and7511 is a counterbalancing-spring fastened at one end to the collar 7610and at its opposite end to the rod 7c5.

Il is a presser or clamping device comprising a bell-crank lever of theshape shown most clearly in Fig. 2, having the arms t' i" and fulcrumcdupon a bearing or bracket B3, fastened to the table B. On the free endof the arm z' is a roller Z2, which rides upon the cam-surface s2 andcam projection s3. EX- tending through a vertical opening in the freeend of the arm c" is a loose pin 2'3, having a head i4, which restsnormally against the upper surface of the arm c, being held down by aspring '75, surrounding the pin and confined between the lower surfaceof the arm and a nut i on the pin. On the upper end of the head i4 is alaterally-extending finger i7, which extends over the head 766. On theside of the block 7a4, at the lower end portion of the rod 7c3, is aswinging arm 7012, pivoted to the block at 7613 and carrying alaterallyextending antifriction-roller 7014 in the path of thecam-surface s4. The arm 7512 is held normally against a stop 7616 on theside of the head by means of a light spring 7015.

As before stated, the rock-shaft C is operatively connected with thedriving mechanism ofthe feeding-machine, to which the separating deviceis applied, and the shaft is oscillated upon its axis about one-third ofa revolution with each operation. The drawings show the parts in theposition they occupy just after a sheet has been removed by the feedingmechanism from the pack X. The buckling devices G G and presser devicesF F/ are raised from the pack, and the separator H is pressed down uponthe pack by the pressure of the cam s3 against the roller Z2, which hasswung the bell-crank lever to cause the pin or finger Z7 to bear downupon the head k6 and cause the latter to clamp the pack. In the nextmovement of the roekshaft C the cam deviceis swung in the downwarddirection, (to the left in Fig. 2,) causing the cam s3 to release theroller Z2 and the latter to ride upon the cam-surface s2. The spring 7cnearly, but not quite, balances the weight of the rod h5 with its head7a6 and the weight of the arm r and attendant parts, so that when thepressure of the finger Wis taken off the head 7c the separating prongorfinger 767 will rest very lightly upon the pack and be raised by thebuckling of the top sheet. 1 In the initialtu rning of the rock-shaftand yokes C C2, carried thereby, the arms t and setscrews Z2 are liftedaway from the arms q, carried by the sleeves E E, whereby the saidsleeves are swung by the springs p to lower the bucklers G G upon theupper surface of the pack, where they are held yieldingly by the springsp. At the same time the stop projections or arms Q5 on the sleeves aremoved away from the arms n of the presser devices, whereby the springsu8 operate to swing the presser devices down and hold them yieldinglyupon the upper surface of the pack. At the same time the cams s s swingthe arms m of the buckling devices in the direction of the shaft C,whereby the arms m are swung in the direction of each other-that is tosay, toward the toes a7 of the presser devices. The blades m3 m1 of thebucklers are pressed by the tension of the springs p upon the top sheetof the pack at opposite sides of the bars 01,5, and in the movement ofthe bucklers toward each other they slide with slight contact upon theupper sheet, the pressure theyy IOO IIO

exert being sufficient to buckle one or more of the upper sheets betweenthe toes p7, as indicated in Fig. 5, and cause the top sheet in bucklingto raise the separator. To insure proper operation of the blades withoutinjury, however, to the top sheet of the pack, they are sharpenedslightly from one side, as indicated in Fig. 5, and rounded off at thecorners. The toe portions 'a7 of the presser devices are curved upward,as indicated in Fig. 5, to afford guides which insure the properbuckling of the top sheet. The operation of the bucklers, owing to thepresser devices, is such that the top sheet of the pack will always andwithout fail be separated at its edge from the sheet next below it adistance greater than the height of the recess or socket 769 of theseparating device. vIn the further movement of the cam device C3 the cams4 engages the roller 7614 on the separator and swings the lower end ofthe rod 753 in the direction of the shaft C against the resistance ofthe spring k2 on the shaft D. This drives the rod 795 and attendantparts in the direction of the shaft C until the point of the prong orfinger 757 passes the edge of the paclnwhen the rod 705 and attendantparts drop upon its pivot, causing the strip or prong 768 to restlightly on the top of the buckled upper sheet. The cam device moves inthe direction stated until the cam s4 wipes past and releases the roller7514, permitting the spring 7a2 to recoil and move the rods 7a3 705 inthe direction away from the shaft C to the position shown in Fig. 2. Inthis movement the strip or prong 768 moves along the upper surface ofthe top sheet, upon which it rests, and theprong or finger k7 movesbeneath the saidtop sheet, as indicated in Fig. 5. When the cam s4 hasreleased the roller 7a11, as described, the shaft reaches the limit ofits movement in the direction described and starts upon the returnmovement to move the cam device to the position indicated in thefigures. In this movement the bucklers G G slide away from each other tothe position indicated in Fig. l. As the cam moves to the position shownin the figures the roller 7914 slides on the outer surface of the cams4, the pivotal arm 77:12 yielding against the resistance of the spring71:15. NVhen the cam passes up beyond the roller 7614 and releases it,the arm k12 is turned to the stop 7616 by the spring, moving the roller7014 to normal position. When the shaft has nearly completed itsmovement to the position indicated, the yokes O1 C2 at their setscrewst2 engage and swing the sleeves to raise the presser and bucklingdevices, as before described. At about the same time the cam s3 engagesthe roller i2 on the clamping device H', causing the pin t7 to bear downupon the separator and clamp all but the top sheet of the pack, leavingsaid sheet loose and free to be moved from the pack by the feedingdevice.

When the paper to be fed is very thin, the toes n1 of the presserdevices G G should be 'close to each other, as indicated in Fig. 5, toinsure the proper buckling of the paper. When the paper is heavier, thedistance between the toes rf should be increased to insure perfectoperation. This increase of distance may be effected by moving andadjusting the yokes C C2, and consequently the sleeves E E' andattendant parts, in the direction away from each other on the shaft C.

The gist of my invention lies more especially in the construction andoperation of the separating mechanism H, in combination with means forbuckling the top sheet, and while I prefer to construct myimprovementsthroughout as shown and described they may be variously modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a sheet-separator for sheet-feeding devices, the combination of abuckler, and a separator, coperating with said buckler, having aseparating projection supported to be ,i

raised by the buckling of the top sheet moving means operating to movethe separator at its said projection past the edge then unv 2. In asheet-separator for sheet-feeding i devices, the combination of abuckler having she'et-engagers and operating means for caus- IOO ing thesheet-engagers to approach and rei cede with relation to each other, anda separator, between and coperating with the sheet- IIO sheet-engagersand operating means for causing the sheet-engagera to approach andrecede with relation to each other, presser devices across which thesheet-engagers move, and a separator, between and coperating with .thesheet-engagers and presser devices, having a separating projectionsupported to be raised by the buckling of the top sheet moving means forthe separator operating to move it at its said projection past the edgethen under the top sheet to be separated, and means for clamping theunder sheets down, substantially as andv for the purpose set forth;

1L. In a sheet-separator for sheet-feeding devices, the combination of abuckler having sheet-engagers and operating means for causing thesheet-engagers to approach and re-` an upper prong and a shorter lowerprong,

and reciprocating and clamping means operating to move the separator atits lower prong past the edge of the buckled top sheet whereby it dropsto cause the upper prong to rest upon said sheet, and then move thelower prong under the sheet to be separated and clamp the under sheetsdown, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

G. In a sheet-separator for sheet-feeding devices, the combination of abuckler having sheet-engaging surface portions, means for raising andlowering the buckler at said sheetengaging portions and for moving themto approach and recede with relation to each other, a presser device forguiding the sheet as it is buckled, means for raising and lowering saidpresser device, and a separator cooperating with the buekler and presserdevice resting lightly upon the sheet to be separated and having aseparating projection, and reciprocating and clamping means operating tomove the separator at its said projection past the edge then under thesheet to be sepa-rated and clamp the under sheets down, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

7. In a sheet-separator for sheet-feeding devices, the combination of abuckler having sheet-engaging arms and means for causing said arms tomove toward and away from each other, presser mechanism at each of saidarms having upturned sheetguiding edge portions, raising and loweringmechanisms for the said buckling-arms and presser mechanism, asheet-separator resting at one end portion lightly upon the sheet to beseparated between the presser mechanisms and there provided with anupper prong las and a lower shorter prong 707 separated by an openingki), means for reciprocating the separator to move it at its lower prongpast the edge then under the sheet to be separated, and clampingmechanism for the separator, all arranged to operate substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

8. In a sheet-separator for sheet-feeding devices, the combination of abuckler, and a separator cooperating with said buckler comprising anearly-counterbalanced bar to rest lightly at its free end portion uponthe buckled sheet to be raised thereby and there having an upperyielding prong and a shorter lower prong, and reciprocating and clampingmeans operating to move the separator at its lower prong past the edgeof the buckled top sheet whereby it drops to cause the upper yieldingprong to rest upon said sheet, and then move the lower prong under thesheet to be separated and clamp the under sheets down, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

EMIL LARSON.

In presence of- M. J. FRosT, R. T. SPENCER.

